What do the Serie A regulations stipulate in case of a tie finish? There are specifics for scudetto, salvation and the race for Europe: let’s see them together
Serie A, cosa succede se si arriva a pari punti? Quest’anno c’è una novità importante (LaPresse) – serieanews.com
Imagine reaching the last day of the championship with two teams at the top of Serie A, paired on equal points. The perfect scenario for a thriller ending, the one every fan dreams of (or fears) for their team. But at that point, how do you decide who lifts the Scudetto cup? And in the relegation zone, what happens if two teams finish with the same score?
In recent years, the regulations have undergone several changes, making the title race and the fight for salvation even more compelling. In the light of the various insights we have made into the regulations, starting with the one on Champions lists, it is time one of these changes concerns precisely the management of the play-offs, with a detail that could make all the difference.
If two teams end the season with the same number of points at the top of the standings, there are no longer any calculations based on head-to-head matches or goal difference: a dry final is played, on a neutral field, to decree the Italian Champion team.
This rule, introduced from the 2022/23 season, brought back a mechanism not seen in Italy since the 1960s. A twist that can turn an entire season into a single inside-out game, giving fans a thrill that the traditional league could not offer.
Let’s think about a hypothetical challenge between Napoli and Inter, currently listed as the main candidates for the title. If they were to end the season on equal points, there would be no calculation of goal difference or results in direct clashes: a single match would be played to decree the queen of Serie A. A match that, in the recent history of Italian soccer, is missing and could go down in the annals.
Salvezza: spareggio andata e ritorno, ecco la novità
If the race for the Scudetto plays out all in one dry game, the fight not to be relegated has undergone an even more significant change. Should two teams end the championship tied on points in the relegation zone, there would no longer be a single playoff, but a challenge over two games, round-trip.
L’ultimo spareggio salvezza è stato nel 2023, in sfida unica: Spezia-Verona 1-3 (Foto: Ansa) – serieanews.com
This is one of the changes expressed last year, along with, for example, the rule regarding non-EU nationals. This change aims to reduce the weight of a single episode and ensure more balance in the final verdict. An idea that meets a more sporting logic: in a dry match a referee error, an unfortunate episode or a bad day can condemn a team without appeal. With a doubleheader, on the other hand, there is more room to prove one’s worth.
Imagine two clubs facing a decision on staying in Serie A: instead of a dry final, fans will be able to watch a doubleheader, with a first and second leg, in which the tension will rise with every minute played.
Should the 2024/25 championship give us a sprint finish, the new rule on tiebreakers could completely change the story of the season.
A single match for the Scudetto and a double confrontation for salvation: two different ways, but both capable of turning the last days into a high-tension movie. And who knows, maybe in a few months we will all find ourselves glued to the TV to witness one of these breathtaking epiloguesat
This article Serie A, what happens if you get tied on points? This year there is an important news appeared in its original version first on SerieANews.
